Knob Creek.....Single Barrel???

Hello everyone.

While at my local store the other day picking up a bottle of the recently reacquired Talisker 18 (score!), my eyes wondered over to the pile of Knob Creek SB in the bourbon section. Now, I've tried this bourbon once before and was an instant fan. Uncut and non-chill filtered is always a welcomed addition, but I picked up a little more vanilla and wood than it's small batch predecessor which struck my fancy. On sale for $33 until the end of the month, I decided to go ahead and grab a bottle. I knew this was a bourbon I could sink my teeth into.

Then my mind began to drift a little. I was very surprised the first time I learned that Knob Creek would be releasing a single barrel edition. I began to wonder what they were thinking over there at Jim Beam. Booker Noe was always notoriously opposed to single barrel bourbon. He hated the variances from one barrel to the next....hence his small batch creations. Fred Noe has been quoted saying he thought his father was the best in the business at making bourbon. I just find it very peculiar that Fred would give the "ok" to modify a bourbon that his father created into something his father despised!

Now, I'm certainly not complaining! I think Jim Beam has just raised the bar on the #1 selling premium bourbon in the world......and that's hard to do!

Re: Knob Creek.....Single Barrel???

Originally Posted by fricky

It may be that the bean counters noticed the success of other distillery's single barrels and saw the opportunity to make more money.

I agree here fricky...although I don't consider KC to be a premium bourbon. To those that aren't rabid bourbon fans they might...but I don't think the majority of us would call KC a top shelf or premium bottle of hooche! I tend to think that it's the #1 selling bottling b/c it's carried by pretty much every single bar and restaurant in the US...I would venture to guess that it doesn't do nearly as well in the home as it does in restaurants.

Re: Knob Creek.....Single Barrel???

To clarify, IMHO, I don't believe it is a "premium bourbon" either. I was simply regurgitating what I heard on the History Channel's Modern Marvels "Whisky".

My idea of a top shelf premium bourbon would be a George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, or Parker's Heritage. And if it came down to just Jim Beam bourbon......I'll take the Booker's.

Originally Posted by hectic1

I agree here fricky...although I don't consider KC to be a premium bourbon. To those that aren't rabid bourbon fans they might...but I don't think the majority of us would call KC a top shelf or premium bottle of hooche! I tend to think that it's the #1 selling bottling b/c it's carried by pretty much every single bar and restaurant in the US...I would venture to guess that it doesn't do nearly as well in the home as it does in restaurants.

Re: Knob Creek.....Single Barrel???

I would be one who definitely believes KC is a premium bourbon. I think that if you start listing what characteristics of a bourbon make for Premium status, KC pretty much hits them all. Personal preference on taste would not be one of those characteristics, BTW.

Besides all that, a whiskey's segment position is whatever the producer says it is.

Re: Knob Creek.....Single Barrel???

You may not think that KC is a premium brand, but that's where it is classified.

DISCUS has four brand classifications based on supplier pricing and revenue per case: value, premium, high end premium and super premium. These categories are not based on opinions or taste preferences, though they do admit that consumer perception does matter.

For whiskey in the "Canadian, blends and Bourbon" categories, the breakpoints are:

Re: Knob Creek.....Single Barrel???

Originally Posted by MacinJosh

...I just find it very peculiar that Fred would give the "ok" to modify a bourbon that his father created into something his father despised!..

And I doubt Fred had any say-so in the matter. Whatever one thinks of Fred Noe -- and I like, admire, and respect him -- he's NOT Booker Noe, and wields only a portion of the influence Booker had, I suspect, both within the Beam company, and in the industry, in general. Fred is way more 'brand ambassador' than 'practical distiller' at Beam, whatever his title.

By the way, that $33 price tag for the SB is eye-opening, at least to me -- that's less than the standard Knob Creek around here, which runs c. $35 (I won't buy it at that price, but I'll by the single-barrel for the less than $10 more it retails at here). Stock up!